1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the invention relates to fruit harvesting machines. More specifically, the invention relates to such machines which deploy a plurality of arms, with at least one picking finger extending from each arm, repetitively into and out of the canopy of a fruit tree to facilitate harvesting of the fruit from the fruit tree.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous methods exist to harvest the various fruits currently being cultivated. A first group of such methods employ various mechanical devices which provide for a completely mechanical severing of the individual fruit from the parent tree. A second group of such methods employ various mechanical devices which provide assistance to individual human pickers during a picking procedure to sever the fruit from the parent tree. This group generally is limited to mechanical devices which may be held by the human picker during the picking procedure. A third method, specific to the type of fruit being harvested, involves the physical picking of the fruit from the parent tree by individual human pickers without utilization of any mechanical device.
Referring now specifically to citrus fruits, currently the vast majority of such fruit is harvested by being hand picked by people. This harvesting technique has changed little over the years. Pickers grasp individual citrus fruit members and exert a twisting action, a pulling action or a combination of a twisting and pulling action thereon to separate the fruit from the parent tree. Then, the picker places the severed fruit in a collection bag. This process is repeated until the collection bag has a desired quantity of picked fruit therein. At this point the contents of the collection bag are deposited into a secondary collection container of sufficient dimensions to contain a larger quantity of the picked fruit than that contained by the collection bag. While certain fruit on a tree is accessible while the picker stands on the ground, certain fruit on the tree may only be accessed by elevating the picker above ground level. The most common method of providing such elevation of the picker is by placing a ladder against the tree while the picker ascends the ladder. It is common practice in the industry to apply various chemicals to the tree and/or surrounding ground at various times prior to harvesting the crop. Therefore, chemicals may remain on the tree during the harvesting operation. As can be readily seen, the current method of manual harvesting of citrus fruit is time consuming and exposes the picker to dangerous conditions, including those during the period of time while the picker is elevated above ground level as well as possible exposure to chemicals.
Certain types of fruit are more adapted to such mechanical harvesting than other types of fruit. Reference is now made to machines which harvest fruit under the above identified method where there exists a completely mechanical severing of the fruit from the parent tree. The art is rich with such machines designed to harvest fruit by severing the fruit from fruit trees. Such machines generally employ one of two severing methods. The first method involves producing a shaking action within the canopy of the tree. This shaking action may involve grasping a portion of the tree and generating the desired shaking action on the entire tree or may involve insertion of one or more members into the canopy wherein the member or members produce the desired shaking action to the canopy without statically engaging, or otherwise grasping, a portion of the tree. The second method involves engaging individual fruit members, or engaging individual connecting stems, and producing a severing action between the individual fruit and the parent tree.
Without regard to the severing method employed, there exist three strong desires which need to be fulfilled in order for the specific harvesting machine to be commercially accepted within the industry. The first desire is to avoid any and all unnecessary damage to the parent tree during the harvesting of the fruit attached thereon. This desire relates to actual damage to the parent tree as well as incidental damage as exampled by removal of immature, or second crop, fruit from certain fruit trees which begin to produce the second crop prior to harvesting of a first mature crop. The second desire is to harvest an extremely high percentage of the mature fruit from each of the parent trees. The third desire is that the harvesting performed, which satisfies the above two desires, must be economically competitive compared to existing harvesting techniques.
Various deficiencies exist with machines which rely upon the shaking action principle. These machines universally have a tendency to damage the tree during harvesting therewith while leaving an unacceptable quantity of fruit on the tree. Additionally, it is commonly accepted within the industry that in order to render the fruit releasable from the tree at an acceptable lever of agitation, at least in the case of citrus fruit, that a chemical must be first applied to the tree and allowed to act over a period of days or even weeks.
Various deficiencies exist with machines which rely upon the severing action principle. These machines also universally have a tendency to damage the tree during harvesting therewith while leaving an unacceptable quantity of fruit on the tree.
Various attempts have been made to provide a machine capable of harvesting extremely high percentages of fruit from a parent tree while minimizing damage to the parent tree. These attempts have been less efficient than desired. As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a mechanical harvesting machine which will harvest a high percentage of the fruit from the parent tree while inflicting minimal damage to the parent tree. The present invention substantially fulfills these needs.